Monday, June 03, 2019
Incredibly, this leftist sees the truth!-----Russiagate, Seen From the Far Left | Power Line
Russiagate, Seen From the Far Left | Power Line"Stephen F. Cohen is a leftist professor emeritus of Russian studies at Princeton and NYU. He published this article, How Did Russiagate Begin? in the Nation, a left-wing journal edited by Cohen’s wife, the heiress Katrina vanden Heuvel.
It cannot be emphasized too often: Russiagate—allegations that the American president has been compromised by the Kremlin, which may even have helped to put him in the White House—is the worst and (considering the lack of actual evidence) most fraudulent political scandal in American history.
***Rational (if politically innocent) observers may have thought that when the Mueller report found no “collusion” or other conspiracy between Trump and Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin, only possible “obstruction” by Trump—nothing Mueller said in his May 29 press statement altered that conclusion—Russiagate would fade away. If so, they were badly mistaken. Evidently infuriated that Mueller did not liberate the White House from Trump, Russiagate promoters—liberal Democrats and progressives foremost among them—have only redoubled their unverified collusion allegations, even in once-respectable media outlets. Whether out of political ambition or impassioned faith, the damage wrought by these Russiagaters continues to mount, with no end in sight.
Cohen asks, how did Russiagate begin? His preferred explanation:
The third possible explanation—one I have termed “Intelgate,” and that I explore in my recent book War With Russia?: From Putin & Ukraine to Trump & Russiagate—is that US intelligence agencies undertook an operation to damage, if not destroy, first the candidacy and then the presidency of Donald Trump. More evidence of “Intelgate” has since appeared. For example, the intelligence community has said it began its investigation in April 2016 because of a few innocuous remarks by a young, lowly Trump foreign-policy adviser, George Papadopoulos. The relatively obscure Papadopoulos suddenly found himself befriended by apparently influential people he had not previously known, among them Stefan Halper, Joseph Mifsud, Alexander Downer, and a woman calling herself Azra Turk. What we now know—and what Papadopoulos did not know at the time—is that all of them had ties to US and/or UK and Western European intelligence agencies.
Cohen goes on to explore the dishonorable role of the press in Russiagate, and concludes with this:
We are left, then, with this paradox, formulated in a tweet on May 24 by the British journalist John O’Sullivan: “Spygate is the first American scandal in which the government wants the facts published transparently but the media want to cover them up.”
That tells you all you need to know about the state of American “journalism” in 2019."
Illinois Passes Constitutional Amendment to Allow a Progressive Income Tax – Reason.com
Illinois Passes Constitutional Amendment to Allow a Progressive Income Tax – Reason.com:
"The proposal on the ballot would replace the existing single 4.95 percent rate with a six-bracket progressive income tax.
Gov.J.B. Pritzker's plan would raise taxes on income over $250,000 to 7.75 percent, income over $500,000 to 7.85 percent, and income over $1 million to 7.95 percent.
...The simple, flat personal income tax of 4.95 percent has remained a rare bright spot of Illinois' tax code.
...Another concern is that high-income earners will respond by leaving the state, a phenomenon known as tax flight.
...And it would be a mistake to focus on millionaire out-migration alone.
The personal income tax isn't just paid by rich individuals—it's also a tax on businesses whose profits are passed through to their owners' individual tax returns.
Pass-through businesses employ over 57 percent of private sector workers in Illinois..."
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"The proposal on the ballot would replace the existing single 4.95 percent rate with a six-bracket progressive income tax. Gov.J.B. Pritzker's plan would raise taxes on income over $250,000 to 7.75 percent, income over $500,000 to 7.85 percent, and income over $1 million to 7.95 percent.
...The simple, flat personal income tax of 4.95 percent has remained a rare bright spot of Illinois' tax code.
...Another concern is that high-income earners will respond by leaving the state, a phenomenon known as tax flight.
...And it would be a mistake to focus on millionaire out-migration alone.
The personal income tax isn't just paid by rich individuals—it's also a tax on businesses whose profits are passed through to their owners' individual tax returns.
Pass-through businesses employ over 57 percent of private sector workers in Illinois..."
Read all.
Bubonic Plague ‘Likely’ Already Present In Los Angeles, Dr. Drew Says | Daily Wire
Bubonic Plague ‘Likely’ Already Present In Los Angeles, Dr. Drew Says | Daily Wire:
The famed doctor also said California cities are suffering after allowing thousands of illegal aliens to flow in. He said the liberal politicians running most cities are “disgustingly negligent.”
Homelessness is also exploding in San Francisco — the home district of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat.
“A federal count shows the number of homeless people increased by double-digit percentages in three San Francisco Bay Area counties over two years as the region struggled to tackle the growing problem, including 17% in San Francisco and 43% in the county that includes Oakland,” the Associated Press reported.
The famed doctor also said California cities are suffering after allowing thousands of illegal aliens to flow in. He said the liberal politicians running most cities are “disgustingly negligent.”Homelessness is also exploding in San Francisco — the home district of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat.
“A federal count shows the number of homeless people increased by double-digit percentages in three San Francisco Bay Area counties over two years as the region struggled to tackle the growing problem, including 17% in San Francisco and 43% in the county that includes Oakland,” the Associated Press reported.
History for June 3
History for June 3 - On-This-Day.com
Richard Cobden 1804 - Manufacturer, English politician, Jefferson Davis 1808/1808 - American soldier, politician, President of the Confederate states of America during the U.S. Civil War, Tony Curtis (Bernard Schwartz) 1925 - Actor ("Sweet Smell of Success," "Some Like it Hot," father of actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis
Allen Ginsberg 1926 - Writer, poet, Larry McMurtry 1936 - Author ("Lonesome Dove"), Rafael Nadal 1986 - Tennis player
1098 - Christian Crusaders of the First Crusade seized Antioch, Turkey.
1805 - A peace treaty between the U.S. and Tripoli was completed in the captain's cabin on board the USS Constitution.
Sunday, June 02, 2019
Barr Says Official Explanation For Trump Surveillance Isn’t Adding Up | The Daily Caller
Barr Says Official Explanation For Trump Surveillance Isn’t Adding Up | The Daily Caller:
Attorney General William Barr says that official statements about the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation “are just not jiving” with information he has learned during his short stint in office.
“I assumed I’d get answers when I went in and I have not gotten answers that are well satisfactory, and in fact probably have more questions,” Barr said in an interview with CBS News, adding that “some of the facts that…I’ve learned don’t hang together with the official explanations of what happened.”
Attorney General William Barr says that official statements about the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation “are just not jiving” with information he has learned during his short stint in office.
“I assumed I’d get answers when I went in and I have not gotten answers that are well satisfactory, and in fact probably have more questions,” Barr said in an interview with CBS News, adding that “some of the facts that…I’ve learned don’t hang together with the official explanations of what happened.”
News - Upcoming Medicare Insolvency Poses Big Challenges for Government, Individuals | Heartland Institute
News - Upcoming Medicare Insolvency Poses Big Challenges for Government, Individuals | Heartland Institute
"In 2018, expenditures for Medicare Part A exceeded income by $1.6 billion, and the Annual Report projects deficits for all future years until the trust fund becomes insolvent in 2026.
...“Those with modified adjusted gross income under $85k or $170K, single or joint [filing, respectively], will be held harmless, and their Social Security check will remain mostly the same,” said Klein.
“Those with higher incomes will pay more.”..."
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- Medicare’s assets will be depleted by 2026, the 2019 Medicare Board of Trustees Annual Report states.
"In 2018, expenditures for Medicare Part A exceeded income by $1.6 billion, and the Annual Report projects deficits for all future years until the trust fund becomes insolvent in 2026.
...“Those with modified adjusted gross income under $85k or $170K, single or joint [filing, respectively], will be held harmless, and their Social Security check will remain mostly the same,” said Klein.
“Those with higher incomes will pay more.”..."
Read all.
These Ex-Congressmen Didn’t Even Have To Leave DC For Their New Jobs. Here’s Why | The Daily Caller
These Ex-Congressmen Didn’t Even Have To Leave DC For Their New Jobs. Here’s Why | The Daily Caller:
Roughly 60% of recently defeated or retired members of Congress went straight to lobbying firms and other gigs with political influence, according to a report by left-leaning advocacy group Public Citizen published Thursday.
The report examined members of the 115th Congress taking part in the so-called “revolving door of K Street” — lawmakers using their connections to join lobbying firms once they are out of office. Law mandates ex-House members must wait a year to lobby their former colleagues, while ex-senators must wait two. While there is a waiting period for congressmen, “they often engage in so-called shadow lobbying, participating in activities that might be considered lobbying but declining to register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA),” according to Open Secrets.
Roughly 60% of recently defeated or retired members of Congress went straight to lobbying firms and other gigs with political influence, according to a report by left-leaning advocacy group Public Citizen published Thursday.
The report examined members of the 115th Congress taking part in the so-called “revolving door of K Street” — lawmakers using their connections to join lobbying firms once they are out of office. Law mandates ex-House members must wait a year to lobby their former colleagues, while ex-senators must wait two. While there is a waiting period for congressmen, “they often engage in so-called shadow lobbying, participating in activities that might be considered lobbying but declining to register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA),” according to Open Secrets.
If it walks like a crook...-----If Liberals Were Held To Their Own Standards
If Liberals Were Held To Their Own Standards
"...Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) loves to moralize about President Trump, particularly about his finances.
...a Congressman with a history of financial problems suddenly becoming flush thanks to his wife’s business coming into millions from companies his committee oversees.
Cummings had a history of financial problems – missed mortgage payments and tax debt – stemming, in part, from child support payments he owed to his ex-wife and two other women who were not his wife.
Curiously, his new wife brought financial security.
Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Elijah’s second wife, is the Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party. She also has a couple of side organizations that are doing extremely well thanks to businesses with business before Cummings’ committee.
She’s taken in millions, in fact.
...What’s even more weird, one of those organizations – the “non-profit” – has a legal obligation to provide financial records to anyone who requests them.
These records would show how much money came in and, more interestingly, how much went out and to whom.
But the groups, called the Center for Global Policy Solutions, is refusing to turn over those records..."
Read all.
"...Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) loves to moralize about President Trump, particularly about his finances.
...a Congressman with a history of financial problems suddenly becoming flush thanks to his wife’s business coming into millions from companies his committee oversees.
Cummings had a history of financial problems – missed mortgage payments and tax debt – stemming, in part, from child support payments he owed to his ex-wife and two other women who were not his wife.
Curiously, his new wife brought financial security.Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Elijah’s second wife, is the Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party. She also has a couple of side organizations that are doing extremely well thanks to businesses with business before Cummings’ committee.
She’s taken in millions, in fact.
...What’s even more weird, one of those organizations – the “non-profit” – has a legal obligation to provide financial records to anyone who requests them.
These records would show how much money came in and, more interestingly, how much went out and to whom.
But the groups, called the Center for Global Policy Solutions, is refusing to turn over those records..."
Read all.
MSM caught half-lying again.
"An MLive story on teacher salaries in Michigan reported that Fitzgerald Public Schools teacher Greg Queen was “unable to provide for his family with earnings from a high school teaching job.”
Queen told MLive that his wife had to go back to working.
MLive did not publish Queen’s salary at the Macomb County district.
He was paid $81,968 in 2017-18."
AG Barr: Mueller Could’ve Reached A Conclusion On Obstruction Of Justice | The Daily Caller
AG Barr: Mueller Could’ve Reached A Conclusion On Obstruction Of Justice | The Daily Caller:
Attorney General Bill Barr said in an interview with CBS News that he believes now-former special counsel Robert Mueller could’ve reached a conclusion as to whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice.
Mueller, after completing his investigation into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, said that he did not find evidence of a conspiracy but declined to make a decision on obstruction.
Mueller, after completing his investigation into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, said that he did not find evidence of a conspiracy but declined to make a decision on obstruction.
Netflix Continues Production In Egypt, Where Abortion Is Illegal, While Considering Georgia Boycott Over ‘Heartbeat’ Bill | The Daily Caller
"Netflix plans to step up production in the Middle East, notably Jordan and Egypt, where abortion is illegal, after mulling a company boycott in Georgia on account of the “heartbeat” abortion bill.
Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, stated, Tuesday, that the company would “rethink” its Georgia investments if the “heartbeat” abortion bill takes effect.
Netflix’s expressed reluctance to produce content in regions with strong anti-abortion laws seemingly does not extend to the Middle East, where recently the company has been ramping up the number of undertaken projects, according to Variety..."
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Self-censorship on Campus Is Bad for Science - The Atlantic
Self-censorship on Campus Is Bad for Science - The Atlantic:- Amid heightened tensions on college campuses, well-established scientific ideas are suddenly meeting with stiff political resistance.
For most of that time, the only complaints I got from students were about grades.
...The trouble began when we discussed the notion of heritability as it applies to human intelligence.
(Heritability is the degree to which offspring genetically resemble their parents; the concept can apply not only to physical traits, but also to behavioral ones.)
In a classroom discussion, I noted that researchers have measured a large average difference in IQ between the inhabitants of the United States and those of my home country, Brazil.
...My approach has been to teach students...by explaining how scientists understand heritability today, and by discussing how to interpret intelligence data—and how not to.
...My approach has been to teach students...by explaining how scientists understand heritability today, and by discussing how to interpret intelligence data—and how not to.
In class, though, some students argued instead that it is impossible to measure IQ in the first place, that IQ tests were invented to ostracize minority groups, or that IQ is not heritable at all.
None of these arguments is true.
In fact, IQ can certainly be measured, and it has some predictive value.
While the score may not reflect satisfaction in life, it does correlate with academic success.
And while IQ is very highly influenced by environmental differences, it also has a substantial heritable component; about 50 percent of the variation in measured intelligence among individuals in a population is based on variation in their genes.
Even so, some students, without any evidence, started to deny the existence of heritability as a biological phenomenon..."
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None of these arguments is true.
In fact, IQ can certainly be measured, and it has some predictive value.
While the score may not reflect satisfaction in life, it does correlate with academic success.
And while IQ is very highly influenced by environmental differences, it also has a substantial heritable component; about 50 percent of the variation in measured intelligence among individuals in a population is based on variation in their genes.
Even so, some students, without any evidence, started to deny the existence of heritability as a biological phenomenon..."
Read all.
When democrats are in control-----LAPD says officers are coming down with typhoid fever, as rats and homeless multiply
LAPD says officers are coming down with typhoid fever, as rats and homeless multiply"Cops are people who sometimes have to take on thankless dirty jobs, because someone has to take out the trash, but now that they're coming down with typhus-like illnesses, based on the multiplication of the homeless population and the accompanying rats, one wonders how fair this is — or, more to the point, if maybe leftists making policy wanted it this way..."
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